Michael Korb explores the flirty, funny and sometimes frightening world of dating in Southwest Florida

June 2012

06/29/12

“You smell great!”
How many times have you heard that? Hopefully a lot. Most of the time, someone is commenting on your perfume or cologne or the fact that you failed to properly rinse the Herbal Essence from your hair. But it turns out that you have your own personal scent which comes from somewhere deep down inside that others either love or, you know, ask you to shower. And it turns out that this scent has a powerful effect on how others perceive and are attracted to you. Called pheromones, this scent is a primal marker that seems to drive attraction between the sexes based on subtle cues that alert you to a quality genetic match. Hot, right?
Well, there is some evidence to suggest this is legitimate, and, because so many of us are desperate enough to breathe in a lungful...

06/22/12

This won’t come as a surprise to any of the women reading this, but guys have three speeds: Stop, Go and Neutral. Stop is when they have absolutely no interest in you and make it clear from the start. Go is when you’ve had three dates but he’s already picked out the ring. Neutral is everything else. Men are in neutral 97 percent of the time.
“’What are we doing?’ That’s a question I ask my boyfriend whenever I feel like fighting,” says Angela, a 32-year-old teacher from Estero. “I’m serious. It all just boils over in me when we just live day to day without any real plan for the future.”
In case you’re curious, her boyfriend is 36 and also a teacher AND they are living together. They’ve been dating for five years and living together for two. “Part of...

06/15/12

We know you're tired of sitting alone on the couch. You don't have to tell us again, thanks.
If you are single and desperately looking for love, there is a very good possibility that you suffer from something called “Chronic Single Fatigue Syndrome,” whose symptoms include regular purchasing of self-help books and the constant discussion of what went wrong with your last relationship. The “chronic single” part is totally on you, while the “fatigue” part is suffered by your friends, acquaintances and strangers you meet at the beach who’ve made the mistake of chatting with you. They all want you to find someone fast so they can stop hearing about your problems.
But as we were trying to find new ways to inspire you toward the love of your life, we ran across the...

06/08/12

How much information is too much information? When you are in the beginning stages of a relationship (say anywhere between date one and date 12) you are in a precarious position when it comes to doling out pertinent information that could conceivably have major repercussions on the relationship. For example, at what point should you tell the person you are now dating that you were arrested in college for protesting at the G8 Summit? Or that you once dated a famous television personality? Or the actual number of people you’ve, you know, ehem…
When does someone need this information? Personally, I believe in getting this stuff out of the way on date one—assuming I’ve remembered to bring the non-disclosure agreement I’ve had made up. (Once that’s signed I’m an open...

06/02/12

Mixers, networking seminars and happy hours are all perfectly good ways to meet someone special. And thanks to Southwest Florida’s professional community, there is ample opportunity to stumble across someone worth meeting every night of the week. Just don’t tell their wives.
Yes, it’s true that married men continue to dominate the singles scene here in Florida. They’re successful, moderately well-dressed and are willing to pick up a check. All the things people look for in a significant other. But, ladies—and here is where I need you to pay close attention—they are bad choices. They might look good from the outside—with their tailored shirts and fancy shoes—but on the inside, they’re married to a woman who picked out those things. Of course, I can’t blame...